Results From a Large,Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis On Radium223 Use in Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) in the Triveneto Italian Region

Background

Radium 223 was introduced for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer based on the results of a randomized controlled trial showing risk reduction for death and skeletal events. Our aim was to evaluate the outcome of patients receiving radium 223 in a real-world setting.

New and important changes in breast cancer TNM: incorporation of biologic factors into staging

Introduction: Cancer staging has historically been based solely on the anatomic extent of the tumor (T), spread to lymph nodes (N), and the presence of distant metastases (M). More recently biologic factors have been added to modify TNM stage groups to provide more accurate prognosis for patients.

Areas covered: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) updated breast cancer staging in 2016 to include T, N, M, tumor grade and expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2. Addition of these factors changed the stage group for a large fraction of cases compared to prior TNM stage groupings. This updated ‘prognostic stage’ provides more robust and precise prognosis information.

Expert opinion: Inclusion of biological information in staging changes the meaning and the use of stage in clinical practice. This paper reviews the evidence supporting these changes, limitations affecting staging, and discusses the implications for clinical practice and the future of breast cancer staging.     

肛肠疾病手术前后肛管直肠压力测定的应用

目的:探讨肛肠疾病手术前后肛管直肠压力测定的应用。方法:将2018年5月-2019年5月在上海市松江区方塔中医医院及上海中医药大学附属曙光医院肛肠科行手术治疗的826例肛肠疾病患者作为研究对象,其中,选择性痔上黏膜吻合术246例、单纯外剥内扎术115例、外剥内扎结合内痔套扎术(Automatic Ligation of Hemorrhoids,RPH)153例、低位肛瘘切除术177例、高位肛瘘切开挂线术135例,分别于术前及术后1个月测定肛管直肠压力。结果:选择性痔上黏膜吻合术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压明显低于术前,肛管舒张压高于术前(P<0.05),但肛管最大收缩压与术前相比无明显差异(P>0.05);单纯外剥内扎术术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压明显低于术前,肛管舒张压、肛管最大收缩压明显高于术前(P<0.05);外剥内扎结合内痔套扎术术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压明显低于术前,肛管舒张压、肛管最大收缩压明显高于术前(P<0.05);低位肛瘘切除术术后直肠静息压、肛管静息压、肛管舒张压均高于术前(P<0.05),而肛管最大收缩压与术前相比无明显差异(P>0.05);高位肛瘘切开挂线术术后直肠静息压高于术前,肛管静息压、肛管舒张压低于术前(P<0.05),而与肛管最大收缩压术前相比无明显差异(P>0.05)。结论:肛肠疾病手术前后肛管直肠压力测定的应用效果显著,能准确判断手术效果及患者恢复情况,为医师的进一步诊治奠定了良好基础。     

A Novel Nomogram to Identify Candidates for Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection Among Patients with Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer Diagnosed with Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted and Systematic Biopsies

Background

Available models for predicting lymph node invasion (LNI) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) might not be applicable to men diagnosed via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted biopsies.

Epitope load identifies kidney transplant recipients at risk of allosensitization following minimization of immunosuppression

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Cost of postoperative complications: How to avoid calculation errors

Postoperative complications(PC) are a basic health outcome, but no surgery service in the world records and/or audits the PC associated with all the surgical procedures it performs. Most studies that have assessed the cost of PC suffer from poor quality and a lack of transparency and consistency. The payment system in place often rewards the volume of services provided rather than the quality of patients' clinical outcomes. Without a thorough registration of PC, the economic costs involved cannot be determined. An accurate, reliable appraisal would help identify areas for investment in order to reduce the incidence of PC,improve surgical results, and bring down the economic costs. This article describes how to quantify and classify PC using the Clavien-Dindo classification and the comprehensive complication index, discusses the perspectives from which economic evaluations are performed and the minimum postoperative follow-up established, and makes various recommendations. The availability of accurate and impartially audited data on PC will help reduce their incidence and bring down costs. Patients, the health authorities, and society as a whole are sure to benefit.     

VIROLOGICAL AND SEROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS OF RABIES IN BATS FROM AN URBAN AREA IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON

The outbreaks of rabies in humans transmitted by Desmodus rotundus in 2004 and 2005, in the northeast of the Brazilian State of Para, eastern Amazon basin, made this a priority area for studies on this zoonosis. Given this, the present study provides data on this phenomenon in an urban context, in order to assess the possible circulation of the classic rabies virus (RABV) among bat species in Capanema, a town in the Amazon basin. Bats were collected, in 2011, with mist nets during the wet and dry seasons. Samples of brain tissue and blood were collected for virological and serological survey, respectively. None of the 153 brain tissue samples analyzed tested positive for RABV infection, but 50.34% (95% CI: 45.67-55.01%) of the serum samples analyzed were seropositive. Artibeus planirostris was the most common species, with a high percentage of seropositive individuals (52.46%, 95% CI: 52.31 52.60%). Statistically, equal proportions of seropositive results were obtained in the rainy and dry seasons (c² = 0.057, d.f. = 1, p = 0.88). Significantly higher proportions of males (55.96%, 95% CI: 48.96-62.96%) and adults (52.37%, 95% CI: 47.35-57.39%) were seropositive. While none of the brain tissue samples tested positive for infection, the high proportion of seropositive specimens indicates that RABV may be widespread in this urban area.     

DEVELOPMENT OF INDICATORS TO MEASURE

This paper describes a study to capture the key roles and activities of nephrology nurses across different countries in Europe. The concept of the study and the need to clarify the activities of the nephrology nurse arose as part of a larger study to develop the European Practice Database (EPD) (1). The Research Board (EDTNA/ERCA) needed to identify key questions that would detect significant differences in the role and responsibilities of nephrology nurses in different countries and monitor the evolution over time of nephrology nursing practice in Europe. It was therefore appropriate to devise a separate small study to generate evidence based questions for the EPD and confirm the reliability and usefulness of the information captured.